The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-05-26
THE PURPLE PLUME.

Rhine were tho gray towers of Aver
boch's ancient castle.
The fourteenth century had just be-
gun and over the great German land had
ruled Albert the First, the unworthy son
of his great sire, Rudolph, the first of
the Hapsburg line.
When Rudolph was but simple
count, long before he ever dared to
dream that he would one day rule as
Emperor over great Germany, the castle
of Averboch was held by stout war;
rior, known only too we'll as Everhard
the Red, because he was ruthless and
bloody soldier. Evcrhard was count,
and yet his castle was but a robbers den,
from which the red bearded lord sailed
forth at the head of his mail clad
ruffians to seize the property of honest
men weaker than himself.
But when Rudolph Of Hapsburg as
sumed the German crown, he gave warn
ing to all the robber knights within his
dominions that their reign of terror was
over.
''Live in peace or war with me-" said
the iron-handed emperor, and ho meant
every word of the simple utterance.
And Everhard the Red, grown bold
from long career of crime, laughed at
the warning.
GAN Germany's might cannot tear me
from my walls at Averboch," he cried in
contempt. "Lct this new made en-
peror come, and I, the Redbeard of the
Rhine, will teach him that he is no more
powerful because the doting monks have
mumbled few prayers over him, aud
placed an empty crown upon his head,
than he was when he was but the Count
of Hapsburg."
And Rudolph did come at the head Of
mail-clad army that made even stern
Everhard wink in wonder.
A line OF steel the German Emperor
drew around the castle, and coolly he
sat down and waited for famine's gnaw.
ing tooth and thirst's bitter pang to fight
his battle for him.
The willy warrior did not wait in vain,
for after being shut up within the strong
tower for four weeks, the desperate
Everhard could endure it no longer, and
so, at the midnight hour, sailed forth
at the head of his force aud endeavored
to cut his way through the line of mailed
men that was crushing the life out of
him.
The robbers knights found foemen
worthy of their steel, and, surrounded
by overwhelming numbers, the Rhcnish
Redbeard died soldiers death.
Serving under Rudolph was distant
relation of the dead knight, poor, but
worthy soldier, named Conrad or Kip
hausen, and as he had neither lands nor
wealth, nothing but his good sword and
pretty young slip of girl, the German
emperor bestowed the castle and lands
of Aberboch upon his devoted foil lower.
Rudolph prospered and Conried
thrived, and, after years hal passed,
when the German ruler yielded to death,
his faithful soldier did not long survive
him.
In 1898 the battle of Worms was
fought, which gave to Rudolph's son
Albert, the imperial crown of Germany,
the crown that on account of his cruel
and tyrannical acts, had been denied
| him.
For three years after that battle the
German emperor was engaged in war
fare-tirst with the king of Bohemia,
and afterward with the pope. Boniface
VIII. But when the wars were ended.
Albert commenced TO reward the tools
who had aided him to climb to the
heights of power.
Foremost among the emperor's favor
ties was a soldier of fortune. Ludwig OF